1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a brush having an elastomeric component and a non-elastomeric component and to a method of producing such a brush.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional brushes comprise bristles mounted in rigid head materials. The rigid head material provides support for the bristles. The bristle material and the head material demand different physical properties. Accordingly, brush heads and bristles are frequently manufactured from different materials e.g. polyolefins and polyamides which do not bond efficiently. Accordingly, the bristles must be frequently mechanically attached to the brush using staples, stops and the like.
The bristles are generally mounted on the brush in a substantially upward orientation. Following use over a prolonged period the bristles tend to splay permanently outwards from the upward orientation whereupon the brush is discarded and replaced.
The abovementioned problems are particularly common with toothbrushes.
However, it has been found that an improved cleaning operation can be performed with a toothbrush in which the bristles are splayed or adapted to splay in a controllable and repeatable manner. Accordingly, toothbrushes have been developed in which the toothbrush head is flexible to facilitate movement of the bristles in use. The flexible head is usually made up of jointed portions or segments which facilitate articulation of groups of bristles. However, a disadvantage of such segments is that unwanted foreign matter can accumulate in spaces between the segments and that individual tufts cannot articulate independently of one another.
Fine bristles can exhibit and enhance a splaying effect. In addition, applicant has found that fine bristles produce a more effective cleaning effect as they penetrate further into the interproximal spaces between the teeth and gums. However, it has been found that fine bristle tufts are particularly susceptible to excessive permanent splaying in use thereby reducing cleaning efficacy. Accordingly, rapid deterioration of the toothbrush results.
Our co-pending British Patent Application of even date, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes a toothbrush having bristles embedded in an elastomeric component which in turn is attached to a plastics extension of a plastics toothbrush handle.
An object of the invention is to provide a brush having bristles flexibly mounted in a material which is compatible with the material of the bristles and the material of the brush head.
A further object of the invention is to provide a toothbrush having a head with bristles mounted thereon in which the bristles mounted on the toothbrush head can repeatably and resiliently splay and move in a multidirectional manner to provide more effective cleaning.